Another Visit
by The-Year-of-the-Dragon
Summary: A sort of sequel to "to always coming never staying." It is Claudia's feeling about the Sofia and Ezio and their homecoming. Ezio/Claudia with Ezio/Sofia


Another Visit

Pairing Ezio/Claudia with Ezio/Sofia

Summary: A sort of sequel to "to always coming never staying." It is Claudia's feeling about the Sofia and Ezio and their homecoming.

A/N: Claudia was never fleshed out in the game; so, it is speculation. Though, I must say it real does say something when she is never married and little is known about her after he leaves. However, I love the pairing, and it is not explored often. So, here is my small part.

_Trapped like a bug pinned to board. She struggled against the pin stabbing her, but the glare of the magnifying glass burned her wings. The redheaded woman was the scientist watching her die. But the worst part was he let her do it._

A few moments earlier her heart swelled in her chest as the girls ran in room crying, "Mistro is home! Madonna! Mistro is..." She stood as one grabbed at her dress smoothing the satin. The other pulled at her dark curls. Her had gone gray in spots, but it was still beautiful and full. The younger girl pulled a lock back and held it in place with a comb he had sent her from Constantinople . It had been unexpected that he had the time, but it was lovely shade of gold and green. They smiled at their work.

"Claudia!" he called. His voice still boomed like it did when he was a younger man. The girls let go and she rushed in the hall.

He scooped her up like he used to and the feeling rushed straight to her head. She pulled at his hood and kissed his cheek and then drifted down to his neck. His gray breaded tickled her cheek, but it was lovely. He was the closet to a husband she had come and she would greet him as such.

He laughed a husky laugh and rubbed a hand up her back as he supported her with the other. "I happy to see you too. It has been to long," he squeezed her again. For a man over fifty he was as strong as a man half his age. "I just wanted you to meet Sofia in person before we settled in a inn."

"What?"

Behind him a woman shifted. Her heart burst. A younger woman with lush red hair and a beautiful dress. He had always liked to flirt but this. Why would he bring her...?

"She is the one I wrote about." He beamed. "My wife. You could not come, but I thought you were informed." He frowned thinking that letter was not delivered.

The lady smiled. " I have heard of you. He has talked frequently of his 'Claudia.'" He had apparently talked to each but neither had listened or at least she had not.

She pushed from his chest dropping to the floor. This woman stabbed her with her words. She glanced back her brother. Did he not see the wound they- no he left. He smiled his crows feet wrinkled. She was helpless and trapped in something she could not fight. She met the woman's eyes filled with victory.

"I feel weak. I must lie down." She let him go of him and completely retreated to her office. The girls who had patiently laid in wait lost their smiles and let out a cry. They rushed to her side trying to comfort the woman who took them in, protected them, and made them more than a streetwalker. "Madonna!" They had never seen her this exposed. She had always been strong when others had called.

"Go." She sobbed. She could not hold it back. She was only glad that woman had not seen this. The girls took off probably to find a older woman or a guard.

Sweet Mary mother of god, He had left her! They had never married out of loyalty to the cause and to each other. The time if marriage had passed them both as time is apt to do. Christina was only a dream, and she had been kept behind walls taking care of mother. Now that mother passed (a event that he missed and let her bare alone). Claudia had been left to be alone in a prison she made on the edge of society. He had meant when he said that she was alone in this.

She cried on the sofa. Hold onto the arm until her nails cut the fabric. She wanted to hold someone and cry like a child. The wounds that had long been healed where ripped open. All if it rushed to her: losing father and her brothers to make believe trial and execution (she never saw the bodies, Ezio had handled that), mother in a silent coma of mourning, even that wretched Mario who had never cared for her, losing home after home. Ezio had been her companion in her pain. He was just as trapped in war he did not understand. Now he found his happiness and she was left to fight on.

"Move. I will talk to her." Ezio demanded of someone outside the door.

He had pushed in the door. "Claudia! Stop acting like a child. I cannot believe you would make a scene." His berating only made it worse. He had become cold. The man that she had loved much more than family. They lain together when no other option could be obtained and he... was now ice.

She clutched the sofa harder wishing it could comfort her.

He moved to her. She sobbed as he pulled her by her arm off the sofa. He shook her like a doll. "I said stop."

"How could you...?" She whispered.

"Claudia. I am finally at peace, let me have it."

"At what cost."

He looked away from her. "You knew it would not last. I may have committed the crime of the Borgia. But I am not him. It was only out of need."

She collapsed like the mansion. "I knew it would not last?! Ga! You, mother, Mario, the order have LASTED and left their scars. I was not allowed out to find 'happiness' it was 'Claudia watch mother,' 'Claudia keep the books,' ' Claudia help the order,' 'Claudia stop acting like a child.'

He brought his hand to her face with a snap that burned deep.

"I am sorry." He muttered he said softly as one arm fell to the side. "You never asked." She did not what he felt sorry for as she remembered as a younger woman asking to leave. He never let a man close to her. He still gripped her arm so tight the blood could not flow.

"I have always asked a lot of you." He said quietly, "more than I have right. You were a constant I took for granted. I do love you, my dear. But this has ended. I have a chance at a life and you have found yours as a Madonna-."

She kissed him, hard sucking lightly at his lips. Desperate to make him stop talking and cutting her open with a hidden blade. She wanted him to feel like he did before.

He kissed back pulling her up to his lips. Then he let her go breaking it. "I could still visit." He mumbled.

A sneered formed. He would visit! No doubt at his convenience. Like the trips were he left her for years. He would have a wife and family, and she would be stuck waiting for a man who only was trying to appease her. It was like promising a child that they could go to market next week with no intention of fulfilling it.. It was like he said 'we will see.' He just said it out of pity. She wanted hit and hurt him like he hurt her. She wanted to walk out and find a lover to make him burn. Even if she had to sell herself. Anything.

He kissed her cheek. "There much better." She had stopped crying. Could he not read her or were his eyes were only geared toward that woman. "We agree. I will just make time and you will act like a woman of your age and greet her and welcome her." He was still telling her what to do. Another order from the grand master he expected to be carried out. He gently tilted her chin to look at her. "Remember sweet. We are Auditore, we survive gracefully. Now call your servants to clean you up. I will give Sofia an excuse. Come out and smile. Welcome your sister."

Her mouth burned. Sofia would never be her sister. She didn't even have a brother left. She would fake it all. Her eyes would tell the woman were she stood. .

He left with swish. She could hear him mumble as she was tended to. The young girls were in a panic. One tried to replace the comb in her hair "Leave it out. I want something else." The girl nodded and replaced it with another trinket that Claudia earned with her own money.

She would walk out with a blade hidden up her sleeve. That woman wanted to know all truth and bring it to light. One day Sofia would burn in the light.

.


End file.
